The reference to the term glocalization in chapter 13 is interesting because it contradicts the goals of globalization in many ways. Globalization is the phenomenon where all the economies of the world become borderless and intralinked. The ultimate goal of globalization is, of course, the idea of "one economy." We can see this starting to emerge with the adoption of a single currency in Europe - the Euro, and talks of having the same currency across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The idea of "one economy" implies that at some point consumer preferences across the world will start to converge and much of the local preference will be lost. With integration across country borders, we start to see the Western culture starting to have a significant influence. I was in India recently after many years and I was shocked to see a Subway! Complete integration will benefit multinational companies as it eliminates the need to customize products to the local taste and allows for mass production. So although glocalization is an approach we see many companies employing now, it will inevitably fade away as the economies of the world start to converge into one.
What does this say about communication? Of course, globalization will never eliminate the need for effective communication nor will it make communication easier. I think increased globalization only makes the need for communication stronger. This discussion brings forth an important question - Will English become the "main" language across these economies? I think that the answer to this is yes but the question is how soon. The big downside to this is that countries start to lose their individuality.
1 comment:
I agree with you that globalization vagues the identity of countries. However, globalization bring forward benefits that one or a small group of countries will not achieve by themselves.
California is a perfect illustration of globalization - a melting pot for various cultures, subcultures, religion, and background is a good example. We live, work, and study in this community with countless variations of entertainment, food, and shopping choices. It brought in competition among busineess, the sharing of information among educators, and the exposure of different cultures among people.
In a bigger picture, globalization facilitates cooperation between countries in dealing with issues such as global warming, warfare, and poverty. In such unstable world we live in now, I do think globalization is beneeficial.
Post a Comment